There is an increasing need for reliable, electronic pressure sensors which can be utilized in adverse environments, and which can be used in a manner that does not upset the environmental conditions, the pressure of which is to be measured. Recent advances in the pressure sensor art have provided pressure sensors employing surface acoustic waves, piezoelectric bridges, and bulk acoustic waves. Microelectronic processing techniques (of the sort utilized to provide large scale integrated electronic circuits) have been employed to make such pressure sensors, as well as to make capacitive pressure sensors of a very small type. However, it is desirable to provide such pressure sensors in a wide variety of types to suit a large number of applications, and therefore it is desirable to fabricate pressure sensors employing electronic devices sensitive to strain in a fashion which protect the devices, are capable of being mass produced in a reliable, reproducible fashion at relatively low cost, and which can withstand adverse environments. Heretofore, one difficulty with small, microelectronic pressure sensors is that the overall dimensions thereof have impeded the flow of gases (such as in a jet engine) or have been unable to withstand adverse environments.